Border Police officers shot and killed a 33-year-old terrorist from eastern Jerusalem who approached them with a knife at Damascus Gate early Friday, thwarting an attempted stabbing attack. Police said no officers were injured; a civilian in his 30s sustained light wounds and was evacuated to Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Jerusalem District Commander Avshalom Peled arrived for a security assessment and praised the rapid response.
The incident occurred in the pre-dawn hours of Friday at Damascus Gate, one of the main entrances to Jerusalem's Old City, just hours after more than 50,000 worshippers had gathered at the Western Wall for Selichot prayers. The heavy security deployment around the Old City was still in effect when the terrorist approached the Border Police post armed with a knife. Officers opened fire, killing him at the scene, according to a police statement relayed by The Zioneer.
The identity of the 33-year-old assailant from eastern Jerusalem has not been published. The circumstances of the light injury to a civilian remain under review; authorities have not clarified how he was hurt. Commander Peled's on-site assessment underscored the ongoing threat level at Jerusalem's sensitive entry points.
The foiled attack is the latest in a series of attempted stabbings at security positions in and around Jerusalem this year, as documented in The Zioneer's archived coverage. Previous incidents include a stabbing attempt at the Tunnel Checkpoint in Gush Etzion and an attack at the Rachel Crossing, both of which were neutralized without Israeli casualties.
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